THE army yesterday handed over to the police five men who are believed to be famo music gangsters. Two of the men were found in possession of two 9mm pistols and 24 bullets while three had M900 000 in cash. Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Sakeng Lekola said they nabbed the men at different places in the northern part of the country.
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“I cannot say more as this is already in the hands of the police,” Lt Col Lekola said.
At the time of going to print last night, the men were still being interrogated at the police headquarters in Maseru.
Contacted for comment last night, police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Kabelo Halahala also confirmed the arrest of the five.
S/Supt Halahala could not confirm if the men were linked to any famo music group or illegal mining in neighbouring South Africa.
“It is premature to make such assertions as we are just at the beginning of our investigations,” S/Supt Halahala said.
“Our investigations might lead us there,” he said.
The arrest of the five came at a time when Lesotho is experiencing a surge in violent crime mostly perpetrated by the famo music gangsters.
Just last Sunday unidentified gunmen attacked youngsters at a local bar in Nazareth, in rural Maseru, where two young men were killed and six were injured.
Last week a famous famo songster associated with the banned Seakhi gang, Khopolo Kholuoe, was gunned down together with a radio presenter, Pulane Macheli.
A man and a woman were injured during the attack.
A week earlier, a man belonging to the Terene ea Mokata-Lirope gang and his wife were waylaid as they attended the funeral of a slain musician, Mohapi Moholi, in Ribaneng, Mafeteng.
Moholi was shot dead at the Maseru border gate together with another passenger as they alighted from a taxi from Johannesburg.
The South African police have since arrested some suspects.
Lesotho is ranked third in the world in homicide cases, according to Prime Minister Sam Matekane.
Majara Molupe
